Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global
Breaking news

Wickens: Audi has tyre life edge over Mercedes

Mercedes DTM driver Robert Wickens reckons rival manufacturer Audi currently enjoys a tyre life advantage over his outfit.

Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

Alexander Trienitz

Podium:  third place Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Pit stop, Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Polesitter Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Polesitter Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Robert Wickens, Mercedes-AMG Team HWA, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

DTM has introduced softer tyres for the 2017 season, making tyre preservation a more important factor in the races than before.

However, Audi driver Mattias Ekstrom pulled off an audacious strategy in the Sunday race at Lausitzring by pitting on the first lap.

The Swede passed Wickens for second late on, a few laps after fellow Audi driver Green stole the lead from the Canadian.

Wickens reckons he would not have been able to use the same strategy as Ekstrom, as his Mercedes car is not as good with tyre wear.

"No, our car is not as kind to the tyre as the Audi or as Mattias, but on the plus side it gives you a lot of room for improvement," he told Motorsport.com.

"We were pretty handicapped with strategy, we didn't have a wide range of where we could stop, we knew we had to more or less split it in the middle.

"Hopefully, if we are going to improve on that, we can be better than them in all areas, hopefully we can keep this going. The next step is to try to get the tyre life better."

Back at the forefront

Wickens had endured a poor DTM season opener at Hockenheim, but was thrilled to bounce back with two podium finishes at Lausitz, despite his car being the heaviest on Sunday.

The Canadian was best of the rest behind dominant teammate Lucas Auer in the first Lausitzring race, and then took pole for the Sunday race.

He led the majority of Race 2, but was passed by Audi duo Green and Ekstrom in the latter stages, and had to settle for third.

"[I am] super happy, two [podiums] in a row now, and it would be amazing if we can keep this sort of string of results going," Wickens said.

"Hopefully we can be better, we are already the heaviest, hats off to the guys for giving us the car that was still quickest in the qualifying with the weight."

The Canadian is fifth in the standings, despite not scoring a point in the season opener at Hockenheim.

His first race there was ruined after a penalty for sending Tom Blomqvist into a spin, and Wickens then retired from the second race after a Turn 1 collision.

"The start of the season [at Hockenheim] was not what I wanted, not what I expected or what I was thinking about for six months during the off-season," Wickens added.

"We did everything right, in free practice I was always in the top five and then qualy 1 [I had] traffic, and I made a mistake in the race, causing myself a drive-through.

"I deserved it, but I felt like we never should have been in that position in the beginning. I felt like I should have been around top three, five, where Luki [Lucas Auer] was, where my teammates were.

"Then Race 2 again just crazy conditions, we put our tyres on a little too early, qualified at the back and then wrong place at the wrong time on the start and get taken out at Turn 1, it is crazy.

"But that is motorsport, and to be honest going into this weekend we did the same approach because DTM is so close - sometimes you get a break, sometimes you don't."

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Lausitzring DTM: Green passes Wickens to win Race 2
Next article BMW DTM drivers say race pace "not good enough"

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global